Prefabricated combination bathroom, kitchen and utility room units



July 31, 1962 E. J. CALLAHAN' PREFABRICATED COMBINATION BATHROOM, KITCHEN AND UTILITY ROOM UNITS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 30, 1959 IN V EN TOR. flvmq/Zrzmwzv ATIZEAM-YJ July 31, 1962 E. J. CALLAHAN PREFABRICATED COMBINATION BATHROOM, KITCHEN AND UTILITY ROOM UNITS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 50, 1959 July 31, 1962 E. J. CALLAHAN PREF'ABRICATED COMBINATION BATHROOM, KITCHEN AND UTILITY ROOM UNITS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 30, 1959 INVENTOR. jzf/ffff Qua/7'14 ilnited rates haircut 3,047,106 PREFABRECATED CUMBINATIGN BATHRGOM, KITCHEN AND UTEILITY ROOM UNITS Emmett J. Callahan, 117 Pacific Bldg, Salem, Greg. Filed Sept. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 843,518 10 Claims. (Cl. 189-1) The present invention relates to prefabricated bathroom, kitchen and utility room units for installations in buildings in a single compact form.

The primary object of the invention is to provide prefabricated combination bathroom, kitchen and utility room units which can be installed in a building during the building thereof to provide two complete bathrooms, or one complete bathroom and kitchen unit, including a sink and dishwater, or one complete bathroom and utility room unit composed of a laundry tray and washing machine, or washing machine and dryer combination.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit of the class described above having ceiling heaters, ventilating fans, lighting and accessory portions formed of stock manufactured items.

An important specific object of the invention is to provide a prefabricated unit of the class described above having a tub shower combination positioned remote from the bathroom window and arranged to serve adjacent bathrooms, or adjacent rooms, by having the opposite ends thereof closed by solid doors to give privacy to either room when in use.

A further important specific object of this invention is the provision of an improved combination tub shower stall having doors opening from both ends thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a prefabricated unit of the class described above in which the upright soil pipe alone extends below the finished fioor line and is secured in raised position during shipping of the unit, being lowered into final position after the unit is mounted in place in the building.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective View of the framework and internal parts of the invention, partially broken away for convenience of illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the unit formed as a combined bathroom and either utility room or kitchen; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the unit formed as a pair of bathrooms.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the combination prefabricated bathroom, kitchen and utility room unit constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4 and includes a generally rectangular horizontal base frame 1 having additional horizontal frame members 2 secured theerto at one end and are connected by transverse horizontal frame members 212. Additional vertical frame members 2b extend upwardly from the ends of horizontal members 2, and in combination with upright frame members 3 secured to the base 1 in a generally rectangular form at one end thereof, delineate a combined tub-shower stall.

A canopy frame 4 is supported on the upper ends of the frame members 2:: and 3 in generally parallel relation to the base frame 1 and extending laterally therebeyond 4a. A longitudinal upper member 4b connected to the lateral extensions %a by transverse members 40 completes the upper frame. Additional uprights 3a extend from base frame 1 to canopy at suitably spaced points. A pair of steel support plates 5 are secured to ice ing vertical panels 6a. A water-tight door 7 is hinged in each end panel 6a to form a private combination tub and shower stall. A wall 8 is arranged in spaced parallel relation to an inner panel 8a to form the opposite side of the tub and shower stall and is supported by the frame members 1 and 2, and a top panel 3b completes the assembly. An access door 9 is secured between the uprights 3 and 3:; adjacent the tub-shower stall on one side to permit access to the internal portions of the unit. A metal linen cabinet It) is formed above the access door 9 to contain a convenient supply of bathroom linens. A medicine cabinet 11, having a conventional mirror front, is supported in the unit adjacent the linen cabinet 10.

A pair of generally triangular end panels 12 extend outwardly from the end frame members 311 opposite the tub shower stall in spaced parallel relation and are connected by an inwardly and downwardly sloping removable panel 13 to form a housing described below. An adjustable, removable baseboard 14- is arranged to cooperate with ceramic tile, linoleum, or vinyl floor coverings when installing the unit.

A paper holder 15 and ash tray 15a are mounted on one of the triangular end panels 12 for conventional use.

A towel bar 16 is secured to the wall 8:: in a horizontal position to support towels for use in the bathroom. The combination shower and tub is provided with a soap dish 17 convenient to the controls.

The unit has an electric junction box 19 positioned within the upper frame 4 and all electric portions of the unit are wired therefrom. The junction box 19 can be connected to the electric power supply of the building when installing the unit.

An electric fan and duct 21 is mounted within the wall unit 'for ventilating the tub-shower and the plumbing fixtures within the unit. Electric lights 22 are provided for the lavatory, tub-shower, and toilet. An electric ceiling light and heater combination 23 is mounted in the frame 4 to provide heat and light for the units and a similar unit 23a is mounted in the tub shower stall. Electric convenience outlets 24 are provided in the unit to permit electric appliances to be connected to the source of electric power.

A lavatory 25 is mounted on one of the steel plates 5 and has the lower portion thereof enclosed by the end panels 12 and the removable panel 13. A stool 26 is positioned between the lavatory 25 andthe tub-shower underlying the linen cabinet 10 and is mounted in a mmner described below. With the unit consructed as illustrated in FIGURE 3, a sink or laundry tray 27 is supported on one of the steel support plates 5, and a dish washer or washing machine 28 is positioned between the sink or laundry tray and the combined tub-shower. A combined hot water heater and storage tank 29 is positioned within the unit overlying the base frame 1. A toilet flush tank 31 is positioned within the unit overlying the base frame 1 adjacent the combined hot water heater and storage tank 29. An upstanding soil pipe 31 is mounted within the unit extending between the base frame 1 and the top frame 4, as can be seen in FIGURE 2. The lower end 32 of the soil pipe 31 is provided for connection to the sewer pipe of the building in which the unit is installed and the upper end 20 is connected to a dry vent pipe which extends to and outlets above the roof of the building. The dry vent eliminates air bubbles at the fixtures. A tub-shower vent 33 extends outwardly and downwardly from the soil pipe 31 connecting at 3 its lower end to the combined tub-shower waste line and tray 36, also extending to the soil pipe 31. A waste line 34 extends from the soil pipe 31 to the lavatory and sink trap 36, also extending to thesoil pipe 31. A waste line support plate 37 is vertically adjustably secured to the base frame 1 and is rigidly connected to the soil pipe 31 so as to support the soil pipe 31 from the base frame 1. By vertically adjusting the plate 37, the soil pipe 31 can be adjusted so as to be wholly within the unit during the shipping of the unit and then lowered into engagement with the sewer pipe of the building in which the unit is placed.

A cold water pipe system for the various elements of the unit is positioned therein and has a cold water connection 38 extending from a cold water supply of the building to cold water supply branches 39. A hot water pipe system 40 also extends to the various elements of the unit and from the hot water supply tank 29 which is fed from the cold water supply connection 38.

A tub-shower, hot and cold water mixing chamber 41,

- supply line 41a, diverter, shower head 41b and tub filler 41 is positioned within the tub-shower stall for control by the user. 'A ventilating opening 41c is provided centrally in the top of panel 8a. A standard stock tub-shower drain and pop-up stop fitting 42 is built into the tubshower and .is connected to and empties into the tubshower waste line and trap 36 for draining the tub-shower waste line. 7 V v A combination grip bar, towel bar and drip dry clothes bar 43 is positioned within the tub-shower stall against the panel 8. The doors 7 are provided with suitable inside and outside locks 44 to prevent invasion of privacy through the tub-shower stall.

A unit constructed in accordance with the present invention provides a prefabricated, all steel structural wall forming the nucleus for supporting and housing all of the necessary bathroom fixtures, the roughed-in plumbing and the hot and cold water supply systems. Furthermore, the unit contains light, heat, ventilation and other necessary accessories. The unit can be formed as an all bath, a kitchen-bath, or a utility room-bath combination and is complete for the purposes set forth. a A

The one-piece preformed steel or plastic tub-shower with the center hot and cold Water supply and waste line disposal and the opposite end entrance doors permits a dual purpose use. This tub-shower is placed on an inside wall, eliminating the under window bathtub conventional in bathrooms,'but still using the minimum amount of floor area. This tub-shower is space saving when considering'the over-all space of the building. The roughedin plumbing, hot and cold water supply system except for the sewer line connection, do not extend below the finished floor and the sewer line connection is maintained out of contact with the finished floor during the shipment of the unit.

The pre-formed one-piece tub-shower and the skin walls of the utilitarian structural wall may be made of formed steel or copper or plastic in a choice of coloredporcelain, colored aluminum or plastic or a combination of all in a choice of colors. The rough-in plumbing units could be of soil pipe, stainless steel, or copper to meet thecodes and requirements of the area where the unit is marketed, and, likewise, as to the hot and cold water supply units as concerns regulations requirements.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed: I

l A prefabricated combination bathroom unit comprisin'g'a central hollow framework, a base frame supporting said central hollow framework, a canopy framework secured to the upper end of said first named framework, a combined tub-shower stall supported in said framework at one end of said base frame, a waterproof door closing opposite ends of said combined tub-shower stall on opposite sides of said framework, means in said framework vertically adjustable thereon for supporting a stool adjacent to said framework, a soil pipe mounted in said framework and supported .by said vertically adjustable means whereby said soil pipe may be supported completely within said framework during shipment of said unit and lowered into contact with a sewer pipe when installing said unit.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a steel support plate is rigidly secured to said framework and a lavatory is supported on said steel support plate adjacent said stool.

. 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a hot water pipe system and a cold water pipe system are mounted in said framework and connected to said tub-shower stall, said stool and said lavatory.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein a combined 5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a lavatory is mounted on one side of said framework and a sink is mounted on the other side of and supported by said framework.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein a dish washer is mounted on said framework on the side thereof ad jacent said sink.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein a washing machine is mounted on said framework on the side there- I of adjacent said sink.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said central hollow framework is of steel and said tub-shower stall is one-piece preformed.

9. In a combination bathroom unit, an elongated central hollow framework, a pre-formed generally elongated combination tub shower having vertically extending side and end walls positioned transversely of said framework at one end thereof, plumbing supply and discharge pipes in said hollow framework, bathroom accessories attached to opposite sides of said central hollow framework and connected to said pipes, portions of each of said end walls of the combination tub shower defining access openings therein extending from adjacent the upper extremity of said end walls and terminating a substantial distance above the lower extremity thereof, the portions of said end walls below the access openings therein defining end walls for the tub, and doors along said access openings.

10. A bathroomunit comprising a generally T-shaped structure, the stern portion ofsaid structure comprising a hollow framework containing plumbing pipes and adapted to support bathroom fixtures on a 'side thereof, the transverse portion of said structure comprising a tub shower combination having vertically extending side and end walls, portions of said end walls defining. access openings to said tub shower extending from adjacent theupper extremity of said end walls and terminating a substantial distance above the lower extremity thereof, the portions of said end walls below said access openings defining end walls for the tub, and doors closing said access openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 139,090 Zavada Oct. 10, 1944 2,391,544 Chapman et d. Dec. 2-5, 1945 2,419,319 Lankton Apr. 22, 1947 2,492,913 Bailey Dec. 27, 1949 2,508,970 Richardson May 23, 1950 2,557,470 Rollie et al. June 19, 1951 2,714,725 Boone Aug. 9,1955 2,930,047 Bowser Mar. 29, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 617,504 Germany Aug. 22, 1935 

